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When a German Requested a Medal for His Enemy

dexter

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It’s April 8, 1940, and HMS Glowworm is in the North Sea. Commanded by Captain Gerard Broadmead Roope, it became separated from its battle group. Upon detecting an unknown ship, they realize it is a German vessel. HMS Glowworm bravely fought first then two German destroyers who outgunned her. The German Destroyers call for help and the massive cruiser, Admiral Hipper answers appearing on the scene and firing at HMS Glowworm. In this David vs Goliath battle, the Glowworm is severely outgunned. Despite suffering heavy damage, Captain Roope orders a daring torpedo attack and retreats behind a smoke screen. As the intact Hipper emerges from the smoke Roope knows it's all over. Roope, with no options left to him, commands a desperate last move: ramming the Admiral Hipper. An incredibly brave action that won him the respect and admiration of his enemy.
 
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It’s April 8, 1940, and HMS Glowworm is in the North Sea. Commanded by Captain Gerard Broadmead Roope, it became separated from its battle group. Upon detecting an unknown ship, they realize it is a German vessel. HMS Glowworm bravely fought first then two German destroyers who outgunned her. The German Destroyers call for help and the massive cruiser, Admiral Hipper answers appearing on the scene and firing at HMS Glowworm. In this David vs Goliath battle, the Glowworm is severely outgunned. Despite suffering heavy damage, Captain Roope orders a daring torpedo attack and retreats behind a smoke screen. As the intact Hipper emerges from the smoke Roope knows it's all over. Roope, with no options left to him, commands a desperate last move: ramming the Admiral Hipper. An incredibly brave action that won him the respect and admiration of his enemy.
Yet the woke West wouldn't even acknowledge the existence of Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, who tore the Allies a new one on a regular basis! Probably the second greatest military strategist in known history, only behind the legendary Napolean, which is saying a lot.

Heck, they hardly, grudgingly acknowledge the accomplishments of their very own General Lee, just because he was a Confederate. Tearing down his statues and war memorials all across the U.S in the wave of newfound "wokeness," rewriting and censoring history to fit the modern cancel-culture narrative.

How many people have actually heard of this Gerard Broadmead guy and his 'Glowworm?'
 
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Yet the woke West wouldn't even acknowledge the existence of Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, who tore the Allies a new one on a regular basis! Probably the second greatest military strategist in known history, only behind the legendary Napolean, which is saying a lot.

Heck, they hardly, grudgingly acknowledge the accomplishments of their very own General Lee, just because he was a Confederate. Tearing down his statues and war memorials all across the U.S in the wave of newfound "wokeness," rewriting and censoring history to fit the modern cancel-culture narrative.

How many people have actually heard of this Gerard Broadmead guy and his 'Glowworm?'

Did Rommel win in North Africa ? he was a skilled tank commander. The Wehrmacht had a long list of brilliant tank commanders. The term "blitzkrieg" was coined by the British media.
 
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Did Rommel win in North Africa ?

Depends on your definition of 'win.'

Wars aren't about winning or losing. That's just how we grossly oversimplify things for the average person.

Did the NATO and co. win the War on Terror? Or did the terrorists win?
 
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Did Rommel win in North Africa ? he was a skilled tank commander. The Wehrmacht had a long list of brilliant tank commanders. The term "blitzkrieg" was coined by the British media.
He was assessed pretty accurately by Guderian, who was always a better general, although blemished by also being a good Nazi. Guderian thought that he was at best a brigade level or division level commander.

His performance in north Africa was disastrous. What neither the OKW nor the OKH could tell him was that he was only supposed to fight a defensive action, and keep the Italians out of serious trouble, not do an end-run to the Suez on his own, as he had done earlier in France. The reason was that Barbarossa was in the planning, and there was simply nothing to spare for Africa. Kesselring, his boss, came down and tried to calm him down, but he wasn't listening. Kesselring, like Guderian, had a terrible impression about him.

Rommel was always going to do well under an understanding and supportive boss, and given a clear-cut objective, and supported with fuel, equipment and reinforcements, as his offensives built up steam. Rundstedt wasn't that man, as he was always unbalanced by Rommel's impulses, usually very aggressive impulses, usually also very incisive impulses, but impulses, nevertheless, anathema to a clear-headed thinking general like Rundstedt, who depended heavily on the old German military values of staff work and systematically planning for all eventualities, including those where planning had failed.
 
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Depends on your definition of 'win.'

Wars aren't about winning or losing. That's just how we grossly oversimplify things for the average person.

Did the NATO and co. win the War on Terror? Or did the terrorists win?

North Africa was relatively an easy task against British & Commonwealth forces. Rommel made little headway. He was a great tactician and a honorable man.
Germans had much greater success in other theaters.
 
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At one time, when I kept count, there were ten instances of Pakistani officers who had been singled out by Indian Army commanders for their gallantry, and who informed their commanders. The latest I can think of was Karnal Sher Khan (not one of my original list of ten).

I do not know of a single instance of the Pakistan Army having commended an Indian soldier for gallantry, except for the informal gestures made by Brigadier Khwaja Mohammed Nasser to Arun Khetarpal's father, when hosting the latter, unknown to Brigadier Khetarpal, during a sentimental visit by the Brigadier to his ancestral Sargodha.
 
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Did Rommel win in North Africa ? he was a skilled tank commander. The Wehrmacht had a long list of brilliant tank commanders. The term "blitzkrieg" was coined by the British media.


Rommel received 1 gallon of fuel for every 10 gallon he asked for and send to him
Rommel received 1 shell for every 10 he asked for and send over to him

Germans not realising their Enigma code was cracked, and all shipments known, as to sending time and ETA time, making it so easy for British Navy to intercept and destroyed those shipments.

Rommel starved of ammo and fuel, could not hope to win no matter how brilliant his leadership in the field.

No fault of Rommel at all that German forces in North Africa lost.
 
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